


Old Man Winter

by Kyuubiluver342



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 14:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17368034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyuubiluver342/pseuds/Kyuubiluver342
Summary: When odd things start to happen, the guardians assume Jack is doing it, but when it is revealed an old enemy has come back and is looking for revenge, will they have enough power to stop Old Man Winter?





	Old Man Winter

 

“You want me to do what?” Jack Frost asked.

Jack raised an eyebrow as he leaned against his staff. If he didn’t know any better, he would think this was a prank, but North wasn’t the type of guy to pull a prank like this. His pranks usually involved spiking Bunnymund’s eggnog when the rabbit wasn’t looking.

“Jack, please. I know you and he don’t see eye to eye.” Nicholas St. North started.

“Because he’s so short.” Jack muttered.

North gave him a look and Jack just shrugged his shoulders, but let North continue.

“But this issue you two have going on needs to stop. You are a guardian now, Jack. You need to be the bigger spirit.” North finished and Jack huffed.

What North was trying to fix was Jack’s ongoing issue with a particular sourfaced spirit. Personally Jack didn’t understand what the issue was. It was the Groundhog that insisted on keeping this rivalry going. He had tried to fix it in the past, but the damn rodent was so stubborn.

“North, I’ve told you before, I’ve tried patching things up with him and he just won’t listen.” Jack said with annoyance.

North sighed and rubbed his eyes, he looked exhausted and Jack was reminded that Christmas was only a few days ago. Groundhog’s Day would be upon them soon and Jack really should try to fix things with him. Jack sighed and pat North on the shoulder.

“Listen, I’ll try to talk to him today ok? I don’t want to fight with him anymore than anyone else. Just don’t expect everything to be fixed overnight.” Jack said and North just smiled.

“That’s all I can ask, my boy.” North said warmly.

Jack left the Pole a few moments later and headed for the Groundhog’s place. Hopefully, this little jerk was where he was supposed to be.

 

Grant G. Hog was a spirit who liked things a certain way. For years, he had done his job as the Keeper of Seasons and, in his opinion, done it well. He was the deciding factor whether Spring would come early or Winter would continue and he took it very, very seriously. That’s why when Jack Frost of all spirits came knocking on his door one January day, he was not pleased.

“Listen, Frost, I have told you before, I won’t lie about seeing my shadow!” he said shaking his furry fist.

Jack held up his hands, kneeling down in the dirt. Groundhog crossed his arms and glared.

“Groundhog...” Jack started, only to be cut off.

“That’s MISTER Hog to you, Frost!” he growled and Jack winced.

“Sorry. Mr. Hog, listen, I came here to talk. I was hoping we could fix this issue between us? I know it was wrong of me to bug you about winter all those years and I really am sorry.” Jack said sincerely. 

Groundhog frowned and eyed the other spirit. He looked highly suspicious of the whole thing.

“And why should I believe a word you say?” he demanded.

Jack ran a hand through his hair. Why did the little furry creature have to be so damn difficult?

“I know you don’t trust me and I know I messed up in the past, but I really am trying. North said I should try to patch things up with you to help us both out and I really do want to do that. So can we at least try to respect each other?” Jack asked.

“Oh, so North sent you huh? Is that what this is all about? You just trying to get buddy buddy with Ole Saint North?” Groundhog sneered and Jack blinked, startled.

“What? No, I came here because I wanted to try and get along, honest!” Jack said.

“Honestly, Frost, you are full of it! Everyone knows that you’ve been going around on your high horse, acting all high and mighty just because you’re a Guardian now! Well, I ain’t hearing it! Get off my lawn, get! Go!” Groundhog yelled, waving his arms and forcing Jack to fly away.

Pleased he had gotten his point across, the Groundhog went back inside his den and slammed his door shut. Jack winced and sighed, rubbed his eyes and tried not to get upset. Why did everyone always believe the worst in him? Shaking his head, he turned and thought about returning to the Pole, but a flash of North’s disappointed face came to his mind’s eye and he winced. So that was a no go, maybe Bunny would have some ideas?

“Wind, take me to the Warren!” he called.

Floating towards the Warren, he sighed sadly. He really had hoped to fix the relationship between him and the Groundhog, but it looks like that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Coming to the Warren, he knocked twice before being let in. Landing, he glanced around, always amazed by the beauty he saw all around him.

“Frostbite?” Bunnymund called.

Turning, Jack saw E. Aster Bunnymund in all his glory. Standing tall with a paintbrush in one hand and an egg in the other, Jack snorted as he floated over.

“You got paint on your nose.” Jack said poking his nose.

Bunnymund wiggled his nose and huffed. He idly placed the egg down and raised an eyebrow.

“And you look like someone kicked your puppy. What happened?” Bunnymund asked.

“Ugh, North wanted me to talk to Groundhog again.” Jack whined and Bunnymund winced.

“Ah, and let me guess, that went over like a lead balloon?” he asked as they started walking.

“Like usual. Man, I know we don’t see eye to eye...” Jack started.

“Because he’s so short.” Bunnymund cut in and smiled when Jack laughed.

“But I wish he would at least listen to me. I just feel like I say all the wrong things around him.” Jack muttered rubbing his neck.

“Listen, Snowflake, Groundhog is a class A pain. I have been arguing with him for years, long before you were even around. Back when…” Bunnymund trailed off and Jack shot him a funny look.

“Back when?” Jack questioned, but Bunnymund shook his head.

“Ah, nevermind. Anyway, the little furry bastard has been a pain for years and I doubt he is going to change anytime soon. Even North should know that by now.” Bunnymund said rolling his eyes.

“I guess. I just wish he would give me a chance. I mean he started going off on me about being a guardian now.” Jack said.

“He did? Well that’s because he always wanted to be one, but was never picked.” Bunnymund rubbed his nose.

“Really?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, I remember him flipping out on North years ago about it at a holiday party North was throwing.” Bunnymund said and Jack frowned.

“Wow, seriously? But it’s not like North controls that kind of thing?” Jack asked.

“True, but he thought North had some sort of sway with Manny over who got picked and who didn’t. Funny enough, a few spirits thought it worked that way. However, North set everyone straight about it and we all moved on. I mean, well, most of us did. ” Bunnymund said.

Jack hummed, but couldn’t understand that thinking. He hadn’t even wanted to be a guardian at first, but it did seem to be his calling. Bunnymund seemed lost in his own thoughts as well, and they just wandered around the Warren in silence, enjoying the other’s presence.

 

The Groundhog grumbled as he clapped his hands together. The nerve of some spirits! Showing up, unannounced, and acting like they had a right to talk to him! What a joke. He was about to settle into his chair, maybe get some light reading done when there was another knock at his door. Scowling, he stormed back over and ripped open the door without looking outside.

“Frost, I told you…!” Grant stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide with horror.

“You.” he whispered.

Horror filled his small furry body as the jewel with the snowflake in it was pointed his way and all he could do was raise his arms, trying to protect his face as a blast of ice froze him solid. A gleeful cold eye stared down at him before the creature left, leaving the Groundhog frozen solid.

 

Several day passed and Jack was at North’s Pole, helping him create a new line of toys when Bunnymund stormed in, his fur almost frozen solid.

“FROST!” he roared, making Jack jump and drop the ice toy car in his hands. 

It shattered all over the floor and Jack frowned. North looked up as well, startled by the sudden yell.

“Bunny, is something wrong, my friend?” North asked as Bunnymund stormed up to Jack and pointed a furry finger in his face.

“My river, Frost! I told you to stop doing that!” he snapped and Jack blinked.

“River?” Jack parroted confused.

“Yes, the river you froze, AGAIN! I thought you promised not to do that anymore!” Bunnymund said angrily.

“But, I didn’t freeze your river.” Jack trailed off, glancing at North.

“Well, my river was fine this morning, but when I got back from a quick errand, it was frozen solid!” Bunnymund said, arms crossed.

“Bunny, I am confused. Jack has been here, with me, all day. We haven’t left this room.” North stated, placing his own ice toy down.

Bunnymund looked at North and then at Jack. Jack was just staring at him, eyebrow raised. Bunnymund’s shoulders slumped and he seemed to stare in confusion.

“So, you didn’t freeze my river?” Bunnymund asked and Jack shook his head.

“I promised I wouldn’t do that anymore.” Jack replied.

Bunnymund looked stumped if anything. He glanced at North before backing up a step.

“But then how...did my river freeze?” Bunnymund questioned and they all looked at each other.

“Jack!” another voice called and they watched as Toothiana, the Tooth Fairy, came flying in, looking a little breathless.

“Tooth? You ok?” Jack asked and she huffed.

“I thought you said you would warn my fairies and I if there was going to be a blizzard! My poor fairies were almost frozen solid in Argentina!” she said and Jack just stared.

“Tooth, I didn’t make a blizzard in Argentina. It’s too late in the season for that and besides, it’s been too warm there for a blizzard, period.” Jack stated dumbly.

Toothiana just stared at him and then at North and Bunnymund. Her previous annoyance was gone in a second.

“But, there was a blizzard when we went to collect teeth just a little while ago.” she muttered confused.

“Wait, wait, wait, Bunnymund’s river was frozen and now there is a blizzard in Argentina? But Jack has been here all day!” North said confused.

Toothiana blinked and then landed on the floor, looking uncertain of what was going on. It was then a trail of golden dream sand came in, followed by Sanderson Mansnoozie, also known as Sandy, who looked quite annoyed himself. He floated over to Jack and a million signs soon appeared above his head, clearly showing his annoyance.

“Sandy, Sandy, please you need to slow down.” North called, holding out a hand.

It took some time to figure out what he was trying to say, but eventually they figured out that Sandy had been in Texas when a huge gust of wintery wind had nearly swept him away and destroyed the dreams that he was making. He had been forced to leave Texas and make dreams from afar. The confusion was clear when it was explained that Jack hadn’t left the Pole all day and therefore, couldn’t have sent the wintery wind.

“So, Tooth encountered a blizzard in Argentina, my river was frozen at The Warren and Sandy was nearly blown away by sudden wind in Texas?” Bunnymund summarized.

“Looks like it. But I don’t understand. If Jack has been here all day, where did these things come from?” North asked.

“Maybe you did them from afar or without knowing?” Bunnymund suggested and Jack rolled his eyes.

“Listen, I’m strong, but not that strong. I can’t freeze something I can’t touch, so the river is a no go. As for a blizzard, I would never try to make a storm without being there. Trying to control winter from afar is dangerous. The Blizzard of ‘86 could have told you that. As for the Wind, we do have an understanding, but they are their own being. Maybe they were just being playful? I don’t know.” Jack said with a huff.

North hummed and rubbed his chin.

“I don’t know, Jack. Something is wrong with this. I can feel it. In my belly.” he said grabbing his stomach.

Jack frowned and then straightened up. He felt it then, like a tingle down his spine. Looking outside, he watched as the sky darkened.

“What the hell?” Jack muttered.

He could feel the storm coming, could feel the snow in the clouds, could feel the wind in his bones, but this storm was unlike anything he had ever felt before. This was not a storm just randomly caused by Mother Nature (who could create snow storms if she wanted, but usually left it to Jack since, you know, it was his job after all), someone was creating this snowstorm.

“Uhh Jack?” Bunnymund started, staring at the storm outside.

“That’s not my storm. I’m not making that storm.” Jack whispered.

“Then who is?” North asked.

Jack’s eyes narrowed and he threw open the window, much to the horror and fright of the other guardians. He threw himself outside and up into the eye of the storm, where he could control it best. Jack threw his own power into the storm and tore through the bounds trying to create it. Using all his strength, he managed to disperse the storm until nothing was left. Floating there, panting heavily, he never realized the danger until a hand curled around his throat and he choked.

He struggled, but he had no strength left to free himself. Staring into the milky white eye of the creature holding him, he yelped as he was dragged and thrown. He smashed through one of North’s windows, hitting the ground with a cry and laying on his back.

“Jack!” the other guardians yelled, racing to his side.

Bunnymund helped him up as a bone chilling laugh came from beyond the window. Floating just outside was an old man, hunched over with a dark blue hooded shawl around him. His long white hair and beard glittered with icy crystals, his only open eye stared at them blankly and he clenched a cane in hand with a jewel at the end. When he smiled, it was twisted looking and Jack shuddered.

“Winter.” Bunnymund breathed in horror and Jack glanced at him, seeing his terrified face.

The spirit landed inside the Pole and North shot to his feet, swords at the ready. Sandy had his whips ready as well.

“Well, well, well, you guardians do remember me after all. And here I thought I had been...forgotten. Especially by you, old friend.” the man said as he held his cane between his hands, looking at North.

“Old Man Winter. As if I could forget about you, though believe me, I have tried.” North replied coldly.

“And yet, I see you’ve replaced me with some whipper snapper who thinks he could control my storms.” Winter said, his voice harsh.

“A whipper snapper who is ten times the spirit you have or will ever be!” North boomed.

Winter sneered and leaned forward on his cane. His teeth were gnarly and his eye took on a very dark look.

“You always did believe in those new, younger spirits. I warned you not to get your hopes up too high. That they will just let you down in the end, but you never listened to me. No, no one ever listens to Old Winter.” the man hissed.

“Enough, Winter. Why are you here?” Bunnymund demanded, holding Jack close.

“Me? I’m here to reclaim what’s mine, Rabbit.” Winter demanded.

“Four hundred years, four hundred years I have been asleep, waiting for the day dear Mother Nature will see the error of her ways and let me out of my prison. Instead, I wake up one day to find my winter has been turned in some sort of child’s plaything!” Winter roared, the wind howling behind him.

“No one is scared of Winter anymore! No one fears it’s power! The Ice Age I worked so hard on is forgotten about!” Old Man Winter snarled.

“Winter, you must stop! Itr was that kind of thinking that led Mother Nature to lock you away in the first place!” Toothiana demanded.

Winter turned his attention to her and then Sandy before finally landing on Jack. Bright blue met milky white.

“Tell me, boy, did Mother Nature warn you about me? Did she tell you about the winter spirit before you? Did she?” he asked and Jack frowned.

“No, she didn’t.” he admitted and the man smiled.

“She didn’t, huh? And I bet none of the guardians told you either, right?” he demanded and Jack eyed the others.

“No, they didn’t either.” he said stiffly.

“And I bet they kept you on a really short leash huh? Always offering helpful suggestions, trying to keep track of where you were going and how long you would be there. Always so curious about what you were doing.” he sneered.

Jack swallowed and glanced at the guardians around him. None of them would meet his eyes.

“You want to know why, boy?” Winter asked and Jack nodded, slowly.

“Because they didn’t want you to end up like me. I was a young spirit like you once, so full of life and promise. I even went by a different name once, Jokul Frosti! Ah yes, yes, I was quite the little devil in my time too. Playing pranks and joking around, yes I was quite the playful sprite.” he said fondly before his voice changed.

“But over time, I began to wonder when my day in the spotlight would come. When people would finally start to know the name Jokul Frosti and I would be seen like the other spirits around me. Oh, how I longed to be seen! How I longed to have, but a single follower to my name!” his voice became colder.

“But it never came. No matter how much I begged, pleaded or yelled, no one ever saw Jokul Frosti. So what was the point? So, I got rid of it and became the one and only Old Man Winter. They wanted to hate and fear my beautiful winter? I would give them something to fear.” he said with a snarl and Jack?

Well, Jack was scared because he was seeing his own dark thoughts reflected back at him. It was as if Winter was Jack’s future if the guardians had never decided to take him in. If he had agreed to take Pitch’s hand that Easter day instead of fighting back. Jack felt his stomach roll and he pressed against Bunnymund.

“Enough, Winter! Your lies are not welcome here!” North boomed and Winter laughed.

“Lies? Are they really lies, old friend? Or are they the truth you never wanted to believe were real? This was my truth and something you never listened to. You were Santa Claus, you never knew what it was like to be ignored, forgotten or unseen. You never understood my struggles and in the end, you abandoned me too for Man In The Moon’s little band of nitwits.” Winter snarled.

He turned his attention back to Jack and smiled.

“You think they care about you. You think they want to help you, but you are nothing more than a tool for them. Something they can use and throw away when done. I promise you, boy, these guardians don’t care for you. If you look deep in your heart of hearts, you know that to be the truth.” Winter stated and Jack frowned.

“No, I don’t know that to be the truth. I know that the guardians care about me, just like I know they care about all children. You’re angry and I get that, but don’t try to turn me against them.” Jack said as he got to his feet.

The back of his hoodie was ripped and torn and some glass had dug into his skin underneath, but he grabbed his staff and narrowed his eyes. Winter just sneered and took a step forward.

“Then you will die with the rest of them.” Winter stated.

The wind howled and shot forward, much to Winter’s delight, but it didn’t go far. Jack slammed his staff into the floor and a shield of ice shot up to block the worst of it. Jack wrapped the wind around his staff and with a wave, created stalactites along the ceiling. The wind howled again and they came crashing down, forcing Winter back out the window.

“Miserable little sprite! Do you know who you are messing with?” Winter roared and Jack winced.

“Ok, so what is the game plan?” Jack asked.

“Stop Winter and put him back to sleep.” North said with a nod to Sandy.

Sandy nodded back before he started to craft his dream. He needed something strong enough to knock Winter out for at least another four hundred years and that took time.

“Sandy will need time. He needs to make enough sand to send him back into sleep. We must distract him.” Bunnymund said as he pulled out some egg bombs.

Jack’s eyes took on a bright light and he smiled. With a wave of his hand, he made a ramp.

“I say it’s time to have a little fun, don’t you?” Jack said.

Winter floated outside the Pole, sneered his disgust. All these years locked away, all these years wasted. Mother Nature would rue the day she gave his beautiful winter to the half wit snow brat. He watched and waited, but nothing happened and he soon became annoyed. Were they just going to hide inside and ignore him? Feeling his icy rage build up, he started to gather his power, preparing to make a storm big enough to bury the Pole when a sudden snowball hit him in the back of the neck.

Whirling around, he saw Jack floating there, snowball in hand. With a wink, Jack took off and Winter yelled as he darted after him. They flew past a window and suddenly, Winter found himself tumbling as egg bombs went off next to his head. Shaking his head, he snarled as he saw the window start to close, Bunnymund’s grinning face peeking out before it slammed shut.

A whistle caught his attention and he turned to see Toothiana fly past him, almost cutting his cheek on her wings. He raced after her, only to slam face first into a wall when she suddenly shot up and he couldn’t in time. Shaking his head, he turned to see North laughing at him from a balcony. Enraged by North’s laughter, he shot at him, but missed and North disappeared inside. Winter was quick to fly after him, but as soon as he got inside, he found himself tackled, his cane going flying.

“No!” he roared, as he landed on what felt like a sled and went flying.

His sled raced along a ramp and Winter had no choice, but to hang on for dear life. It looped and twisted and jumped and there was a part of Winter, a small part of Winter, that was reminded of the thrill and joy that once came with a toy like this. His sled came off the ramp suddenly  and he landed in a pile of snow and dream sand. Staring up at the faces looking down at him, Winter locked eyes with Jack and stopped.

“I know it’s scary, to be all alone, but to get angry at others for finding friends when you didn’t isn’t right either.” Jack said as he held Winter’s cane.

Winter stared at his cane and then at the other winter spirit. There was an understanding there, a moment where the two understood each other best. Closing his only good eye, Winter relaxed as Sandy dumped a bucket of sand over his head. Jack watched as Winter’s breathing evened out and then looked around.

“So now what?” Jack asked.

A few minutes later, Jack watched as North locked Winter away in a small room at the bottom of the Pole. His cane was taken to North’s armory and as far as the other guardians were concerned, that is where Winter would stay. Jack found himself wondering a bit, wondering how lonely Winter had been to react this way, wondering how empty he must have felt. Bunnymund, as if sensing Jack’s sorrow, placed a hand on his shoulder and Jack smiled.

“There’s a part of me that wishes I could help him.” Jack said and Bunnymund nodded.

“Maybe one day you can, but for right now, let him sleep. Maybe he will feel better when he wakes up.” Bunnymund stated.

“He was one of the spirits right? Who thought North could help him?” Jack questioned.

“He was. We were dear friends for many years, but as I became more popular, he became more bitter and angry. I tried to help him, but over time, there was no talking to him. When winters started to get really bad and they started to threaten the lives of the children, we approached Mother Nature and asked her to put a stop to it. She decided that locking Winter away until he saw the error of his ways was the best way to go about it.” North explained after some time.

“So what about me?” Jack asked.

“We assumed that Mother Nature still needed someone to watch over winter in her stead. So that's why we weren’t originally concerned about you.” Toothiana said.

“But you didn’t exactly welcome me either.” Jack pointed out and they all looked ashamed.

“It was my fault, Jack. I was scared to meet you and see the same hopeful aspiration in you that I saw in Winter. That is why I refused to see you for so many years.” North said ashamed.

Jack thought about it a while longer, before he glanced at the door where Winter lay sleeping and sighed.

“I guess I can see that, but honestly, if you see me going down the same path, just put me to sleep too.” Jack said and the other guardians looked horrified.

“Jack, mate, I doubt you will ever go down the same path as Winter. You have something he never had and that is this: you care about the children and that’s why you were chosen to be a guardian.” Bunnymund said simply.

Jack smiled and relaxed, seeing the logic there.

“Come now, friends, the danger is over! Let us celebrate!” North said as he picked them both up and hugged them.

As the guardians went upstairs to celebrate and feast the night away, there was one person who wasn’t in the position to do any of that.

“H-Hello? Is anyone there?” Grant G Hog called.

He managed to lick his mouth free, but the rest of his body was still frozen solid. It would be a while before it thawed completely.

“Little help? Anyone?” he called again.

Hearing nothing, he sighed miserably.

“I hate winter.” he muttered.


End file.
